Lexical Summary chibbuq: Embrace, clasp Original Word: חִבֻּק Strong's Exhaustive Concordance fold From chabaq; a clasping of the hands (in idleness) -- fold. see HEBREW chabaq NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chabaq Definition a clasping, folding (of the hands) NASB Translation folding (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs חִבֻּק noun [masculine] a clasping, folding of the hands, only construct יָדַיִם לִשְׁכָּ֑כ ׳מְעַט ח Proverbs 6:10; Proverbs 24:33 (compare חָבַק Qal). Topical Lexicon Usage in Wisdom Literature חִבֻּק appears twice, both in Proverbs’ warnings against the slow creep of sloth: “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest” (Proverbs 6:10; repeated verbatim in 24:33). The expression paints an unmistakable picture of arms crossed over the torso, signaling withdrawal from labor and responsibility. By framing indolence as an “embrace” of the hands, the sage exposes the irony that what feels like comforting self-care swiftly becomes self-harm. Cultural and Anthropological Background In the ancient Near East, crossing or folding the hands could convey contentment, dismissal, or intentional inaction. Whereas embracing another person signified covenant loyalty, embracing one’s own hands symbolized turning inward and away from communal duty. Within an agrarian society dependent on timely planting and harvesting, such posture endangered household survival and threatened the stability of the wider village economy. Rhetorical Function in Proverbs Both contexts employ snapshot parables: the sluggard’s vineyard overgrown (24:30–34) and the ant’s diligence contrasted with human lethargy (6:6–11). The identical refrain serves as an inclusio that ties disparate scenes together, reinforcing the universality of the danger. The triple cadence—sleep, slumber, folding—imitates the gradual slide from legitimate rest to ruinous neglect. Moral and Theological Implications 1. Divine order calls for rhythm: work seasoned with rest (Genesis 2:2–3). Folding the hands, however, caricatures rest divorced from obedience. Canonical Resonance Old Testament: Ecclesiastes 4:5 highlights the futility of “folding one’s hands” as self-consumption, while Nehemiah 3–4 showcases the opposite spirit of communal labor on Jerusalem’s walls. New Testament: Paul echoes the proverb in Thessalonica—“If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10)—and commends believers to “work with your hands” (1 Thessalonians 4:11), a deliberate reversal of the folded-hand motif. Pastoral and Homiletical Insights • Diagnose subtle sloth: procrastination, spiritual apathy, moral passivity. Practical Discipleship Implications Believers are summoned to alertness (1 Peter 5:8) and “zeal for good works” (Titus 2:14). Folding the hands may begin in the physical realm yet often reveals a deeper spiritual disengagement. Cultivating a posture of open hands—ready to serve, give, and receive—embodies gospel transformation. Christological Perspective Jesus, the greater Solomon, never folded His hands in disregard; even in apparent inactivity (Mark 4:38) He rested in sovereign trust and subsequently acted for salvation. His crucified hands, open and pierced, reverse the self-embrace of sin and empower believers for steadfast labor in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58). Historical Reception Early commentators like Gregory the Great linked Proverbs 6:10 to the monastic call to ora et labora, warning that contemplation without labor withers into vice. The Reformation emphasized vocatio, elevating everyday work as sacred obedience, countering any tendency to fold the hands under a guise of spirituality. Summary חִבֻּק in Proverbs transcends a minor idiom; it crystallizes a wisdom warning that spans covenants: unchecked ease incubates ruin, whereas diligent, God-honoring labor yields flourishing for self, family, and community. Forms and Transliterations חִבֻּ֖ק חבק chibBuk ḥib·buq ḥibbuqLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Proverbs 6:10 HEB: תְּנוּמ֑וֹת מְעַ֓ט ׀ חִבֻּ֖ק יָדַ֣יִם לִשְׁכָּֽב׃ NAS: A little folding of the hands KJV: a little folding of the hands INT: slumber A little folding of the hands to rest Proverbs 24:33 2 Occurrences |
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